There are 7 ways to get from Edinburgh to Rousay by plane, ferry, train, or bus
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly from Edinburgh Airport, ferry
best- Fly from Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Kirkwall (KOI)EDI - KOI
- Take the ferry from Tingwall Orkney Ferry Terminal to Rousay Orkney Ferry Terminal
5h£182–434Bus, ferry via Aberdeen
cheapest- Take the bus from Edinburgh, Bus Station to Union Square Bus StationM92
- Take the ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry TerminalNl2
- Take the ferry from Tingwall Orkney Ferry Terminal to Rousay Orkney Ferry TerminalOf3
11h 51m£58–106Train, ferry
- Take the train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Take the ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry TerminalNl2
- Take the ferry from Tingwall Orkney Ferry Terminal to Rousay Orkney Ferry TerminalOf3
11h 8m£60–157Bus, ferry
- Take the bus from George Street to Union StreetE9
- Take the bus from Union Street to Ferry TerminalE6
- Take the ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry TerminalNl1
- Take the ferry from Tingwall Orkney Ferry Terminal to Rousay Orkney Ferry TerminalOf3
11h 26mTrain, bus, ferry
- Take the train from Edinburgh Waverley to Inverness
- Take the bus from Bus Station Stance 3 to Ferry TerminalX99
- Take the ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry TerminalNl1
- Take the ferry from Tingwall Orkney Ferry Terminal to Rousay Orkney Ferry TerminalOf3
12h 3m£99–183Train to Glasgow Airport, fly, ferry
- Take the train from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street
- Fly from Glasgow Airport (GLA) to Kirkwall (KOI)GLA - KOI
- Take the ferry from Tingwall Orkney Ferry Terminal to Rousay Orkney Ferry Terminal
5h 49m£231–620Train to Aberdeen Airport, fly, ferry
- Take the train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Fly from Aberdeen Airport (ABZ) to Kirkwall (KOI)ABZ - KOI
- Take the ferry from Tingwall Orkney Ferry Terminal to Rousay Orkney Ferry Terminal
7h 8m£142–432
Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Kirkwall (KOI) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Edinburgh to Rousay is to bus and ferry via Aberdeen which costs £55 - £110 and takes 11h 51m.
The fastest way to get from Edinburgh to Rousay is to fly and ferry which takes 5h and costs £180 - £440.
The distance between Edinburgh and Rousay is 239 miles.
The best way to get from Edinburgh to Rousay without a car is to train and ferry which takes 11h 8m and costs £55 - £160.
It takes approximately 5h to get from Edinburgh to Rousay, including transfers.
There are 163+ hotels available in Rousay.
What companies run services between Edinburgh, Scotland and Rousay, Scotland?
There is no direct connection from Edinburgh to Rousay. However, you can take the vehicle to Edinburgh Airport, walk to Edinburgh Airport (EDI) airport, fly to Kirkwall (KOI), walk to Airport Terminal, take the bus to Travel Centre, take the taxi to Tingwall Orkney Ferry Terminal, then take the ferry to Rousay Orkney Ferry Terminal. Alternatively, you can take a train from Edinburgh Waverley to Rousay Orkney Ferry Terminal via Aberdeen, Aberdeen Ferry Terminal, Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminal, and Tingwall Orkney Ferry Terminal in around 11h 8m.
- Website
- loganair.co.uk
Flights from Edinburgh Airport to Kirkwall
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £140–380
Flights from Edinburgh Airport to Kirkwall via Lerwick
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 15m
- When
- Monday and Tuesday
- Estimated price
- £140–380
Flights from Glasgow Airport to Kirkwall
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £190–500
Flights from Glasgow Airport to Kirkwall via Lerwick
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 40m
- When
- Wednesday
- Estimated price
- £190–500
Flights from Aberdeen Airport to Kirkwall
- Ave. Duration
- 53 min
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £100–310
- Phone
- +44 344 811 0141
- Website
- scotrail.co.uk
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 20m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £23–55
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Inverness
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 44m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- £30–65
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Every 20 minutes
- Estimated price
- £17–18
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 345 722 5333
- customers@lner.co.uk
- Website
- lner.co.uk
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 33m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £19–25
- Website
- https://www.lner.co.uk/
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Inverness
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 32m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £23–75
- Website
- https://www.lner.co.uk/
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 28m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £8–35
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 330 060 0500
- enquiry@sleeper.scot
- Website
- sleeper.scot
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 6m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- £60–80
- Website
- https://www.sleeper.scot/
- Sleeper Berth Classic
- £210–230
- Sleeper Seat
- £60–80
- Sleeper Berth Club Solo
- £250–290
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Inverness
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 15m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £60–80
- Website
- https://www.sleeper.scot/
- Sleeper Berth Classic
- £210–230
- Sleeper Seat
- £60–80
- Sleeper Berth Club Solo
- £260–300
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street
- Ave. Duration
- 57 min
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- £60–75
- Website
- https://www.sleeper.scot/
- Sleeper Berth Classic
- £210–230
- Sleeper Seat
- £60–75
- Sleeper Berth Club Solo
- £230–260
- Phone
- 0800 031 8542
- Passengerassistance@lumo.co.uk.
- Website
- lumo.co.uk
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street
- Ave. Duration
- 53 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £17–18
- Website
- https://www.lumo.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 (0)131 510 4007
- ride@ember.to
- Website
- ember.to
Bus from George Street to Union Street
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 27m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Website
- https://www.ember.to/
Bus from Union Street to Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 28m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Website
- https://www.ember.to/
- Phone
- 01224591381
- bluebird.enquiries@stagecoachbus.com
- Website
- stagecoachbus.com
Bus from Bus Station Stance 3 to Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 39m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- £29–40
- Website
- https://www.stagecoachbus.com/
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- info@citylink.co.uk
- Website
- citylink.co.uk
Bus from Edinburgh, Bus Station to Union Square Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 5m
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Estimated price
- £19–27
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- flixbus.fr
Bus from Edinburgh, Bus Station to Union Square Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £6–17
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- +44 (0)1856 872044
- info@orkneyferries.co.uk
- Website
- orkneyferries.co.uk
Ferry from Tingwall Orkney Ferry Terminal to Rousay Orkney Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 25 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £3–5
- Website
- http://www.orkneyferries.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 845 600 0449
- info@northlinkferries.co.uk
- Website
- northlinkferries.co.uk
Ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £20–36
- Website
- https://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/
- Low
- £20–25
- Peak
- £31–36
Ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £13–19
- Website
- https://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/
- Low
- £13–17
- Peak
- £16–19
Want to know more about travelling around United Kingdom
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Related travel guides
Travelling to the UK: What do I need to know?
Read the travel guide
Want to know more about Flixbus?
Read the travel guide

































